Trap.



J. G. WOOD.

\ TRAP. APPLIOATI ON FILED J'UNB 20, 1908.

928,352. Patented July 20, 1909.

WITN 5592s,

UNITE STA E PATENT oFFIoE.

JOHN C. WOOD, or MOUNT vERNoN, WASHINGTON.

TRAP.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 20, 1909.

Application filed. June 20, 1908. Serial No 489,610.

' The object'o my invention, besides being to generally improve their construction and .adaptability, is particularly "to provide a tures of my invention.

trap which shall be especially. adapted to,

use as a tree trap, that is, for setting upon trees to catch tree climbing animals.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my invention embodied in the form which is now preferred by me.

Figure 1 is'a front or face view of my trap. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section showing the trap in edge view. .Fig. 3 shows the manner of using the trap when catching the tree climbing animals.

My tra belongs to that class which has a base or 'rame, a pivoted, loop-like jaw or arm and aspring acting upon said jaw or arm to close it down upon the frame or base. These features are broadly old, but in the form shown and in the manner of their ap plication they arebelieved to be new.

My invention also embodies certain features which are belicvedto be broadly new.

Thebase or frame of my trap consists of a plate or bar composed of two principal parts, a curvedportion 1, and a straight bar 10, connecting the ends of' the latter, the

whole being essentially of a D-shape. This D-shape having the large central opening is that which is preferred by me, although this is not material in considering certain fea Asa convenient means for supporting the catch and tripper mechanism, I provide a 'rearwardly extending arm 11, herein shown as secured centrally of the straight bar 10 constituting the stem of the D. a

The movable jaw comprises the 'bar 3, curved to conform to the curvature of the bar 1, its ends 30 being bent inwardly to liealong the straight part 10 of the base. These I ends pass through pivot staples 2 secured to the frame, or are otherwise pivoted to the baseor frame. i r

The spring ft'employed by me to act upon to the outer portion of the arm 11.

the jaw or arm 3, is preferably a coiled helical spring and surrounds the straight pivot portions 30 of this jaw. The spring ends 40 are bent to engage the jaw 53 to hold it down,'and the central portion is formed into a loop 41 which engages a finger 12 supported from or forming a part of the,

base or frame. As shown this finger is the projecting end of the rearwardly extending arm 11. which carries the catch and trip per mechanism. Any suitable construction which accomplishes the desired result may be substituted therefor.

The'catch 5 which holds the jaw 3 in raisedposition is hinged or pivoted to the arm 11 and has a shoulder or hook -Which engages the jaw, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2. I have shown this catch as pivoted upon a pivot carried by a clip 6 secured Pivoted upon the catch '5 is the trigger 7 which has a short arm so placed as to force disengagement of the 'catch when the trigger is pulled down or forward. This trigger is provided with means for securing the bait thereto, as the hook 71.

When the trap is designed for use as a tree trap, that is for catching tree climbing animals, I prefer that the catch, trigger and jaw be so proportioned that the bait, when the trap is set, shall lie back of or above the jaw pivot, the same being the condition shown in'Fig. 2. hung in vertical position against'the side of a tree trunk at such a height that it can not be reached without climbing up the tree. In this position of the trap and its parts any animal climbing the'tree to secure the bait would naturally get into a favorable position to be caught before they eou1d reach the bait.

When so used the trap is I, have provided two separate means for supporting the trap, either of which may be employed as desired. The simplestconsists of a hole 14 in the arm 11, whereby it may be hung upon a nail or like device. other consists of a hook like extension '51 of the catch 5, which is adapted for engagement. with astapleor bent nail 8, or with a 'loop of string or other suitable support. If desired or necessary the upperend .ofthe arm The 11 may be made to approach this hook 51' when the catchis in set 'position so as to make therewith a closed eye for the reception of the staple 8, or its equivalent support. a c

In using the hook 51 as the suspeutiing means it is obvious that-When the trap is sprung the catch will fly down and the hook will be released from its support, thus per- 5 mitting the trap to full. The same result would as a rule, occur were. the t '3 ms peucletl from smooth heeded nail the hole 14., The disturbance caused by the s ringing of theirap as Well its the strugg es of the trapped animal 'svouhl generally dislodge the trap from its nail In trapping certain of the smaller :t'ur bearing animals, of which. the marten. may be taken. as typical, it is customary to put the trap againstthe side oi a tree shove the snow line sufficient to prevent'uon-climhing nni mails from. reaching it or 1217 g e sought therein. However such climbing animals as the cougar, orpztnther, the lye; wild etc.,' may come along and eat up the trapped ame. The skin oi such an nnimal'mzty he worth $30 or more, which represents :1 coLusiderable loss. This is apt to occur greet many times during a season, which makes the total loss very considerable.

One of my principal objects has been to produce a trap which Will he auimntttiotiliy removed t rom the reach of predatory game as soon as it has. been tripped, so that the game caughttherein may be preserved until the trapper reaches the trap. To do this I make the trap disengogeeble from its normal support as soon as sprung, as has been desoribecl, and provide means for swinging it from a limb of the tree at a distance from the trunk. The means for disengaging the trap from the trunk has been described. In connection with this I have a chain, as 9, secured togthe'trop and lengthened with arope or any other convenient and suitable means, .as'much as necessary to enable it to he se- -"cured to a limb at some distance from the trunk \Vhen the trap is freed from its normoi support on the tree trunk it Will swing away from the trunk for enough to preventuno'ther animal from. etting at it or the 'gaxne caught therein. in this way hundreds oi dollars may he saved to it single trapper in a single season.

I have shown the her 11. forming the hese of the trap as having a slightly raised fienge undo, although this is not on essential feeassess 16 about its inner margin. This makes he secure holding of the trapped animal more certain and i prefer that the trop he so ture of my invention.

In i i have shown two ill't' place upon t ee trunk the. o :r in the swinging POSiolOll which it Wouioi assume is soon as sprun The feature of transfer ring the trap from an accessible support to an inaccessible support as soon l: believe to be broadly new anti Wish to so claim it;

i-laviug thus described my invention whet 1 claim and. clesire to secure by Letters Pet-- ent is: i

1. A trap provided with two tiuct porting means and means whettoythe support is shifted from one of said supporting; means to the other -when the trap is sprung.

A trap having a, chain. or .iilte suspension means, moons separate from said for supportingthe trap in an elevated tion and. means for releasing the trap from. the latter supporting means when it is sprunm 3v A trap provided with 3. chain or like member whereby it may be secured to 2.. tree limb at; a di tance from the tree trunk While 8 permitting the trap to be supported against the trunk, means for supporting the trap against the tree trunk, and means controlled by the catch adapted to releasethe trap from said. latter supporting means when the rap s5 is sprung 4. A trap provided with means for sup porting it against a vertical surface, as tree trunk, said means being adopted to free the trap from said support when sprung so and means for supporting the trap at a dis tunce from said vertical supporting surface after it is sprung.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto irked my signature at Mount VernomSke county Washington, this 12th day 01: 7

I JGHN C. "WUUD.

i fivtnessesz Emmy A. l /iClJEl Lm FRED G. PICKERING. 

